Hugh Freeze and Auburn are one step closer to fully assembling the Tigers’ coaching staff for the 2024 season as the program announced the hiring of former Ole Miss associate head coach, wide receivers coach and running backs coach Derrick Nix.
Nix will be coming to The Plains to serve as Auburn’s offensive coordinator and running backs coach, the program announced Wednesday.
“I’m really excited to reunite with Derrick here at Auburn,” Freeze said in a release. “He is an outstanding recruiter and coach who has nearly two decades of experience in the Southeastern Conference. Derrick knows the level of excellence required to be successful in this league and I know he’s looking forward to the opportunity to help develop a winning program at Auburn.”
Wednesday’s announcement of Nix’s addition comes 12 days after the program announced the firing of Philip Montgomery, who served as the Tigers’ offensive coordinator last season.
The announcement of Nix’s hiring also comes six days after former Auburn running backs coach and associate head coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams announced his resignation.
And considering the countless struggles of Auburn’s offense in 2023, it’s likely few Tigers fans flinched when news of Montgomery’s firing surfaced. The news of Williams’ departure on the other hand? That stung Auburn fans for some time considering the former Auburn running back’s legacy on The Plains.
But now the Tigers have Nix, who is set to serve as Auburn’s offensive coordinator and running backs coach.And while that might feel like a mere consolation prize to some as Tigers’ fans continue to grapple with the emotional battle that comes with Williams’ decision to part ways with his alma mater, there are reasons to believe the hiring of Nix is a good thing for the Auburn program.
